Railway car construction



.1. B. b. THOMPSON ET 2,131,493

Sept. 27, 193

RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1955 lA/VE/VTOS (75622 5.3. 7' ham 11.9072

Szywaid Ws'zad Sept; 27, 1938. J. B. D. THOMPSON EILAL 2,131,493

RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed'April 12, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Rs Thompson m/rz/vro (157222 ED.

IIIIIIIIIIIII47 IIIIIIIIIIIII III ' Sq'yyald rm/war Sept. 27, 1938. J. B. D. TI-IIOMPSON 5' AL 2;131,493

RAILW Y CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 12, 1935 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNVE/VTORS 'JaimED. Thom v.90

Sq'ywe/d Udsiad MZKM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. B. D. THOMPSON ET AL Sept. 27, 1938.

RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 12, 1935 IllllllllIIII!lllIIlllllllllllllllllllllllllll (fa/m 13D. 7'

I Szlqzra 37 Patented Sept. 27, 1938 RAiLwAY cm CONSTRUCTION John B. D. Thompson and Sigvald Udstad, Berwick, Pa., assignors to American Bar and Foundry Company, New York, N ..Y., a. corporation of New Jersey Application April 12, 1935, Serial No. 15,930

20 Claims.

This invention relates generally to railway passenger car construction and has particular reference to means for enclosing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies.

One object of this invention is to provide an enclosing arrangement between the adjacent end portionsof adjacent car bodies which will be arranged in substantially the line of the side walls and roofs of the car bodies whereby a train will present a substantially unbroken outer surface to eliminate the formation of air pockets which necessarily furnish wind resistance, said enclosing means being flexible and being suitably supported so as to be -yieldable in accordance with track curvatures.

Another object of this invention is to provide a streamlined car construction in which inner and outer flexible diaphragms are provided, the inner diaphragm constituting the vestibule diaphragm and defining a passageway between adjacent car bodies, and the outer diaphragm being arranged in substantially the line of the side walls and roof of each of the car bodies and extending in substantially U form from one side of the car to the other.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of new and improved means arranged between and connected to the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies and conforming thereto in shape and adapted to substantially enclose the space between said bodies.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a new and improved flexible diaphragm for enclosing space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies.

A still further'object of this invention is-the provision of new and improved means for sup.- porting a flexible diaphragm which encloses the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the end portions of adjacent car bodies showing the present invention applied thereto, the view also showing, in broken lines, the relative positions of certain parts when the car bodies assume a position in which they are not longitudinally alined.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of one of the car bodies, the view being taken on the line 22, Fig. 3; the pantograph gate construction being omitted in order to disclose other parts more clearly.

I Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the adjacentend portions of adjacent car bodies, the view having certain parts broken away and other parts shown in section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 3, showing only one of the two outer vestibule members with its associated support, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view take on the line 55, Fig. 2. I

Referring now more particularlyto the drawings in which similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the several views, Fig. 2 shows a fragmentary end elevation of a car body with which the present invention is adapted to.

be associated, the body having a side wall and roof indicated at 2 and 4 respectively. The car illustrated is of streamline type and hence is devoid of sharp angles, the general construction being one in which the side wall and'roof merge gradually, by curved sections, into each other to provide a substantially unbroken surface.

As shown in Fig. 1, extending between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies, the latter being indicated at A and B respectively, is a passageway defined by inner vestibule diaphragms 6 connected to vestibule posts 8 and each provided with face plates Ill arrangedin abutting relation and supported by upper and lower supports l2 and M respectively; Fig. 1 showing, diagrammatically, the lower supports while theupper supports are shown in Figs. 2

and 3. It will be obvious that any suitable or desired type of upper and lower support for the inner vestibule arrangement may bewprovided, the face plates I!) being retained in abutting relation by means of said supportswhich, also, obviously function as expanders.

The present invention comprises a means for enclosing the space between thea-djacent end portions of adjacent car bodies, which means conforms generally to the contourof the car bodies and, as clearly shown in the drawings, this enclosing means comprises outer diaphragms indicated generally at C which are suitably supported as presently to be described.

A diaphragm C is connected to each. of the car bodies and is substantially U-shaped in plan so as to extend from one, side of the car up and acrossv the car and then down at the opposite side of the car; these diaphragms conforming to the contour of the cars as will be apparent. The diaphragms connected to each of the car bodies are connected as described hereinafter and function as a unit to enclose the space between the car bodies.

These outer diaphragms C are more clearly indicated in section in Fig. 4 where it can be seen that each thereof is formed of a plurality of contiguously arranged flexible end and intermediate .units designated at I6 and I8 respectively, each of which is lined as at 20 with suitable fabric such as canvas or the like. Adjacent units are connected by means of continuous clips 22 which may, if desired, be secured to said units in any suitable or desired mannenthese clips being coextensive with the sections I6 and I8 of the diaphragm.

As shown clearly in Fig. 4, the end units I6 each have one leg rebent upon itself and secured to" angles 24 and 26 respectively; angle 24 being riveted as shown at 28 to the endwall 30 of the car body. A retaining strip 32 is provided and the end unit I6 is secured between the angle 24 and said retaining strip by suitable fasteners such as the bolts 34. The opposite end unit I6 is connected tothe angle 26 in a manner. similar to that just described and hence the same reference characters are applied. The leg 36 of the angle 26 constitutes a diaphragm face plate as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and is co-extensive with the diaphragm whereby to extend up one side and across and then down at the other side of the car.

The outer diaphragm is supported at its upper portion, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, by means of upper supports indicated generally at S arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line through the car bodies and each comprising a tubular sleeve 38 secured as by keys 48 to a cylindrical stem 42 projecting horizontally from a bearing element in the form of a ball 44 pivotally arranged in a socket 46 secured as by bolts '48 to the end wall of the car body. The socket 46 comprises a pair of bearingp'ortions, one formed. integral with the attaching portion 50' of the sockthe tube 38. The socket 56 is formed by an in tegral bearing portion 62 and a detachable but complemental bearing portion 64, the latter being secured to the socket 56 and to the angle '26 by suitable fasteners such as-th'e bolts 66. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, an upper supports is provided for each' of the outerdiaphragm units C on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line through the car body. These supports S are so formed and arranged that in theevent ,ofdownward sagging of the outer vestibule unit C the upper portions of the" clips 22 may rest thereon though'Fig. 3 shows a slight clearance between the supports S and said'clips, this being the ideal construction. 7

From the description so far. it can be seen that the outer vestibule diaphragms areprovided with face plates in the form of angles which cooperate with each other and are preferably connected together in any suitable or desired manner whereby they may work in unison.

The present invention provides means for sup porting the outer vestibule diaphragms through themedium of the cooperating face plate angles 26 and, as clearly shown in the drawings, each I-outer vestibule diaphragm is supported by upper and lower pantograph gate arrangements indicated generally at 68 and I0- respectively.

The gate arrangements for supporting the outer diaphragm sections are identical and a description of one will sufiice for both.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the upper and lower gates 68 and 10 respectively areeach formed of a plurality of links connected together in such a manner as to be capable of automatic adjustment to conform with variations in the relative positions of the car bodies. This is shown clearly in broken lines inFig. 1.

The gates 68 and I0, as can be seen in Fig. 3, v

are oppositely arranged-whereby the upper gate 68 functions to constantly exert an upward force. on the diaphragm face plate 26, or in otherwords.

the face plate is supported on the upper gate while the connection between the lower gatev and the diaphragm face plate is such that the diaphragm is, in effect, suspended therefrom.

The construction of the gates 68 and I0 is iden-: tical though they are'arran'ged in respectively inverted positions, and referring again to Fig. 3, it.

can be seen that the upper gate 68 comprises a pair of connected links and 82 respectively; link 88 having its upper end portion connected at a fixed pivot 84 to the. upper end portion of thegate standard 12. The lower end portions of links 80 and 82 are pivotally connected together at 86 while the upper end portion of link 82 has.

a slidable pivoted connection in a slot 88 with a clevis 98 pivotally connected with an attaching bracket 92 to which a supporting arm 94 is securely fastened as by rivets 96. As clearly shown in Fig. ithe supporting arm 94 extends from the bracket 92 to and is connected with the leg 36 of the outer diaphragm face plate angle 26 by suitable fasteners such as the rivets 98.

The gate 68' also includes a pair of links I 00 and I02, the former having a slidable pivot con--' nection at its lower end portion with the standard I2 as shown at I04 and extending upwardly and being pivotally connected intermediate its ends as shown at I06 with the link 80 at a point between the ends of the latter. The link I82 depends from the upper end portion of link Illll'and is pivoted at its lower end as shown at- I88 to the link 82 intermediate the ends of the latter.

As. shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, the clevis is provided with an upstanding attachingarm'IIIl to which one end of a spring H2 is connected, theopposite end of said spring being connected at II4 to the gate standard 12;

As before mentioned, the upper and lower gates 68 and I8 respectively are identical in construction though relatively inverted and hence the the slot 88 may be extended downwardly from the bearing pin thus permitting the face plates to lift or slide as a unit relative to the gates to take care of relative vertical movements of the car body.

The respective face plates '26 may be connected in any suitable or desired manner as by bolts or the like which are removable in order to permit separation of the respective car bodies, and this rigid connection between the face plates necessitates the peculiar type of parallel motion devices previously described in order to relative. car movement. a

From the above description it is believed that the construction of the present invention will be fully apparent to those skilled in the art. The enclosing means for the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies is so arranged as to be substantially alined with the side walls and roof of adjacent car bodies.

The enclosing means comprises outer diaphragm sections which may be formed of extruded rubber; the form shown in the drawings being a plurality of contiguously arranged units, U- shaped in section and inwardly facing as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 whereby, upon variations in the relative positions of the car bodies, they are free to flex as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. The enclosing means includes diaphragm face plates and the entire enclosing means is supported by the pantograph gate arrangements shown and described and also by the upper supports S.

Pantograph gate arrangements for supporting; the outer diaphragm construction provide an space between said end portions comprising a pair of contiguously arranged flexible and resilient diaphragms secured to the end portions and conforming to the contour of said car bodies whereby the diaphragms are normally held substantially alined with the side walls and roofs of said bodies, cooperating face plates secured to the contiguous portions of said diaphragms, automatically adjustable supporting elements secured to the car bodies adjacent the roofs thereof and connected with the upper portions of the face plates to support the resilient diaphragms, upper and lower pairs of pantograph gates secured to the end walls of each of said car bodies, and supporting arms extending from said gates to the side portions of the face plates for supporting said diaphragms' v 2. Means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms secured to the car bodies substantially'in line with the side walls and roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, and a plurality of pairs of pantograph gates secured at each side of the car bodies and connected with the face plates to support the diaphragms at their sid portions.

3. Means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions 'of adjacent car bodies comprovide for the l 3 prising adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms secured to the car bodies substantially in line with the side wallsand roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, a plurality of pairs of pa'ntog'raph gates secured at each side,

off'the car bodies and'connected to the face plates to support the diaphragms at. their side portions, and means securedto each car body adjacent the roof and connected with the upper portions of the face plates. to support the tion formed of a plurality of independent separably connected self-supporting elements each having the outer face of its sides and top portions arranged substantially in line with the side walls and roofs ofthe car bodies and forming when unfiexed 'a substantially continuous surface therewith, and extensible and'retractable means secured to the adjacent end walls of said car bodies and connected with the outer diaphragm to support the latter substantially in alignment with the side walls and roofs of'the car bodies during the extension and retraction of said means. a

5. In railway car'construction, means for closing the space between the adjacent end. portions of adjacent car bodies comprising a flexible diaphragm secured at one end portion to the car means secured to the end wall of said car body, 1

and a supporting element connected to said means and extending and connected to said face plate. I

6. In railway car construction, a diaphragm arrangement comprising a flexible element formed of a plurality of connected U-shaped resilient members, said diaphragm being secured at one end portion to the end wall of the car, a face plate secured to the opposite end portion of said diaphragm, a pantograph gate secured to the end wall of the car, and a "diaphragm support extending between and connected to the gate and face plate.

'7. In railway car construction, means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising a plurality of contiguously arranged connected resilient -elements constituting a diaphragm arrangement extending between the car bodies and normally held substantially in line with the side walls and roofs thereof, said elements each being substantially U-shaped in section, and means capable of extension and retraction secured to the end walls of the car bodiesand connected with the" side portions of the diaphragm arrangement to suping the space between adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising a resilient dia- 1 phragm arrangement formed of independent separably connected self-supporting elements extending between and connected with the car' bodies and having their outer faces in substantial alinement with the side walls and roof thereof and forming when unflexed a substantial continuation thereof and including cooperating face plates, extensible and retractable means secured to the car bodies and connected with the face plates to support the diaphragm arrangement at its side portions substantially in alignment with the side walls and roofs of the car bodies l during movement of the diaphragm arrangement toward and away from the car ends, and means for supporting'the diaphragm arrangement at its upper portion comprising extensible and retractable elements having their end portions pivotally connected to the face plates and car bodies respectively in such a manner as to be capable of substantially universal movement.

9. In combination with a railway car, a diaphragm secured to the end portion thereof substantially in line with the side wall and'roo-f thereof and formed of a plurality of connected extruded rubber sections substantially U-shaped in section, a face plate secured to the outer edge portion of said diaphragm, and extensible and retractable elements secured to the end wall of the car body, and an arm pivotally connected with the free end portion of said elements and rigidly connected with the face plate to support the diaphragm.

10. Means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising, adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms secured to the car bodies substantially in line with the side walls and roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, and a plurality of pairs of pantograph gates secured at each side of the car bodies and connected with the face plates to support the diaphragms at their side portions, said face plates and gates having a pin and slot connection to permit relative vertical movements therebetween.

11. Means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising, adjacently arranged flexible dia-' phragms secured to the car bodies substantially in line with the side walls and roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, a plurality of pairs of pantograph gates secured at each side of the car bodies and connected to the face plates to support the diaphragms at their side portions, said face plates and gates having a pin and slot connection topermit relative vertical movements therebetween, and means secured to each car body adjacent the roof and connected with the upper portions of the face plates to support the diaphragms at said upper portions.

12. Means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising, adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms secured to the car bodies substantially in line with the side walls and roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, and a plurality of pairs of pantograph gates pivotally secured at each side of the car bodies and slidably connected with the face plates to support the diaphragms at their side portions for substantially vertical movement relative to the pantograph ates. g 13. Means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising, adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms secured to the car bodies substantially in line with the side walls and roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, and means for supporting the diaphragms comprising a 7 pantograph, gates.

'14. Means for closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising, adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms secured to the car bodies substantially in line with the side walls and roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, and means for supporting the diaphragms comprising a plurality of pairs of pantograph gates pivotally secured to each car body and slidably connected to the adjacent face plate to permit vertical movement thereof relative to the pantograph gates, and means securing said face plates together for movement in unison.

15. In a car construction, means closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising flexible elements each having sides and a top portion, each of said elements being formed of a plurality of independent connectedcontiguously arranged resilient members having their outer faces normally aligned respectively with the side walls and roofs of the car bodies and forming a substantially continuous surface therewithwhen not flexed, and extensible and retractable means extending from the end walls of the adjacent car bodies inwardly of said flexible elements and having connection therewith for supporting the latter substantially in alignment with the side wall and roofs of the car bodies during the extension and retraction of said means.

16. In a car construction, means closing the space between the adjacent end portion of adjacent car bodies comprising flexible elements each formed of a plurality of independent selfsupporting connected contiguously arranged resilient members, each of said resilient members having the outer faces of their sides and top portion aligned respectively with the side walls and roofs of the car bodies and forminga substantially continuous surface therewith when not flexed, and extensible and retractable means extending from the end walls of the adjacent car bodies inwardly of said flexible element and having connection therewith for supporting the latter substantially in alignment with the side walls and roofs of the car bodies during the extension and retraction of said means.

1'7. In a car construction, means closing the spacebetween the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising flexible elements each formed of a plurality of independent selfsupporting contiguously arranged, and separably connected resilient members each including sides and a top portion, said resilient members having their outer faces aligned respectively with the side walls and roofs of the car bodies and forming a substantially continuous surface therewith when not flexed, extensible and retractable parallel motion means secured to the end walls of the car bodies inward of said flexible members and eachhaving connection with the side portions of said resilientlmembers for supporting the latter substantially in alignment with side walls and roofs of the car bodies during the extension and retraction of said parallel motion means, and means extending from the end walls of the adjacent car bodies adjacent the roofs thereof and connected with the top portion of said resilient members to support the latter thereon at their top portion.

18. In a car construction, means closing the space between the adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising diaphragms connectedto each car body, each diaphragm being formed of a plurality of resilient members U- shaped in cross section, said sections being contiguou'sly arranged with their normally abutting leg portions extending inwardly, and their outer faces positioned in substantial alignment with the side walls and roofs of the car bodies and forming a substantially continuous surface therewith when not flexed, means connecting the inner marginal abutting edges of said leg portions, and supporting means for said diaphragms extending from 'the end portions of said car bodies and connected with said diaphragms.

19. Means for closing the space between adjacent end portions of adjacent car bodies comprising, adjacently arranged flexible diaphragms secured to the car bodies substantially in line with the side walls and roofs thereof and provided with abutting face plates, a plurality of upper pantograph gates extending from each car body and having their outer extremities composed of upwardly extending links connected at their upper ends to one of said face plates, a

plurality of lower pantograph .gates extending from each car body and having their outer extremities composed of downwardly extending links connected at their lower portion to one of said face plates, said face plates and pantograph gates being so formed and arranged as to permit of resilient sections U-shaped in cross-section,

said sections being contiguously arranged with their normally abutting leg portions extending inwardly and secured together adjacent their inner marginal edges and forming when unflexed a substantially continuous surface, whereby said sections are relatively separable at their outer edges to permit extension of said diaphragm. JOHN B. D. THOMPSON. SIGVALD UDSTAD. 

